Sydney Whale-Watching Cruise Including Lunch or Breakfast
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Sydney, Australia
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Many whale-watching tours head straight into open water, but this cruise begins in Sydney Harbour, where you can enjoy breakfast or a barbecue lunch (depending on the option selected). After your meal, sail past sights such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge en route to the Pacific Ocean, in search of migrating humpback and southern right whales. A naturalist guide provides live commentary along the way, and helps you spot marine life.
- Learn more than you would on your own with live commentary
- Maximize your chances of spotting whales with a naturalist guide
- Enjoy views of Sydney and its harbor that many other visitors miss
- This tour handily includes breakfast or lunch, plus hot drinks
What's Included
- BBQ buffet lunch or breakfast (depending on departure time selected)
- Tea and Coffee
- Live commentary on board
- Humpback whale watching
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Sydney Princess CruisesEastern Pontoon, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Eastern Pontoon, Eastern side of Circular Quay (same side as Opera House) The pontoon is located in front of Searock Grill Restaurant Please check in 15-30 minutes before departure time
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Make your way independently to King Street Wharf to board your whale-watching vessel. Group numbers are capped, providing space to move comfortably between the indoor cabin and outdoor viewing decks throughout the cruise.
Begin the experience in the sheltered waters of Sydney Harbour, where you can settle in and enjoy a buffet breakfast or barbecue lunch on board. As you cruise past the waterfront, take photos of landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Fort Denison.
After your meal, continue past coastal highlights including Manly Beach, Watsons Bay, and The Gap before exiting the harbor and entering the Pacific Ocean.
From May to November, humpback and southern right whales migrate along this stretch of coastline between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. During this period, you may observe behaviors such as breaching, tail slapping, and surface spouting. A naturalist-guide provides live commentary, sharing insights into whale migration patterns, marine ecosystems, and other wildlife that may appear, including dolphins and seabirds.
While whale sightings are highly likely during the season, marine wildlife remains unpredictable. If no whales are spotted during your cruise, you are eligible to return on another whale-watching tour at no additional cost, subject to availability.
Begin the experience in the sheltered waters of Sydney Harbour, where you can settle in and enjoy a buffet breakfast or barbecue lunch on board. As you cruise past the waterfront, take photos of landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Fort Denison.
After your meal, continue past coastal highlights including Manly Beach, Watsons Bay, and The Gap before exiting the harbor and entering the Pacific Ocean.
From May to November, humpback and southern right whales migrate along this stretch of coastline between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. During this period, you may observe behaviors such as breaching, tail slapping, and surface spouting. A naturalist-guide provides live commentary, sharing insights into whale migration patterns, marine ecosystems, and other wildlife that may appear, including dolphins and seabirds.
While whale sightings are highly likely during the season, marine wildlife remains unpredictable. If no whales are spotted during your cruise, you are eligible to return on another whale-watching tour at no additional cost, subject to availability.
1
Sydney Harbour Bridge
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney (Pass By)
Manly Beach (Pass By)
Sydney Harbour (Pass By)
Watsons Bay (Pass By)
Oz Whale Watching (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- We suggest all guests to please bring motion sickness medication, our policy is better safe than sorry.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Please dress appropriately with comfortable shoes and warm clothing depending on the time of the year
- Service animals allowed
- Please bring a camera and sun protection
- Available May - November (Whale Watching Season here in Sydney)
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 96 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 887 reviews
Charlene_K, Jun 2026
I was with a group of recent high school grades with a free day in Sydney and someone mentioned whale watching and everyone was so excited to go. Lunch was okay. They had chicken, sausage, potatoes, pesto noodles, and some slaw and bread. Definitely not one of the worst meals on a tour like this. As for whale watching? It was amazing! We saw so many whales on our tour it was amazing. The kids said it was the best thing we did on the whole trip. I would definitely do this tour againz
Krista_D, Jun 2026
My husband and I had a wonderful time on this trip and even got to see a whale breach. However, it was a rough day at sea, and many of the people on our cruise ended up getting sick. We stayed outside and didn't let this interfere with our enjoyment; however, if you have a tendency to motion sickness, this is not the trip for you.
Katherine_S, Jun 2026
This was a great company for a whale watch. The tour guide was so informative about the humpback whales, and luckily we did get to see many whales!! We stayed out longer than the tour was scheduled as there were whales to watch!!!! The food for lunch was good. If you are prone to seasickness, probably a good idea to take a medicine to prevent seasickness, as quite a few people onboard were not feeling well.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Katherine, thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled you enjoyed seeing so many humpback whales and found our guide informative. It's great to hear the extra time spent whale watching and the onboard lunch added to your experience. Thanks also for sharing your seasickness tip for future guests. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Clarise_A, Jun 2026
Booked this experience for early June and was not disappointed! Nathan the skipper was very good at chasing the whales, and we saw 3 humpback whales breaching, among many others spouting and waving their fins! We also were welcomed by a pod of bottlenoss dolphins! Devlin our guide provided a running commentary with many fun facts about whales and the region. Although it was warm on the shore, it gets quite cold and wet from the wind and spray, so wrap up well! Waters get choppy in the open sea when chasing whale-sightings, so eat an appropriate portion of the buffet lunch (which was very tasty, but pace yourself) unless you want to see it reappearing.... Although I found the experience smooth-sailing, some people did unfortunately get seasick, so take that motion sickness pill! The crew were very ready with sick bags distributed early on at the start of the trip. All around a fantastic experience. Thank you to Sydney Princess Cruises for the amazing experience!!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Clarise,
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed feedback. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed such incredible sightings of humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins during your cruise. It’s fantastic to know you enjoyed the commentary, tasty lunch, and overall experience onboard. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back again for another unforgettable whale watching adventure.
Ben_K, Jun 2026
Incredible tour with fantastic crew. Was able to see to see humpback whales and dolphins. Definitely need to experience!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Ben,
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had an incredible whale watching experience and were lucky enough to see both humpback whales and dolphins. Your kind words about our crew truly mean a lot. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you onboard again soon.
Rebecca_G, May 2026
With a week of bad weather we were lucky the rain held out and we had seen some whales. They played peek a boo with us most the afternoon. Crew was great. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for joining our whale watching cruise and for sharing your lovely feedback. We’re so glad the weather held out and that you were able to spot some whales during the afternoon. Sounds like they were keeping everyone entertained with a little peek-a-boo! We truly appreciate your recommendation.
Kyla_G, May 2026
Spectacular experience all round. Beautiful kai, wonderful Māori MC, friendly informative staff. Comfortable boat. Stars of the show were the whales of course! And a couple of curious dolphins. Sydney Harbour is a wonderland full of history. Great vakue
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Kyla, thank you for your wonderful review! We’re so happy to hear you had a spectacular whale watching experience and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, harbour views, and wildlife encounters. Seeing whales and dolphins in Sydney Harbour is truly special. We appreciate your support!
Priscilla_W, Apr 2026
Great experience heading out to the ocean to look for whales - we saw several during our time there! Food was also fantastic, and makes for a great experience to get to see Sydney from the water.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Priscilla, thank you for your lovely review! We’re so glad you had a great experience spotting whales and enjoyed the food on board. Seeing Sydney from the water really does make it extra special.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
Solomon_T, Nov 2025
A must do for anyone visiting Sydney. It was exciting to watch the whales in their natural habitat splashing out like dolphins. I loved it and will do it again.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Solomon,
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an exciting whale-watching experience and enjoyed seeing the whales in their natural habitat. It’s wonderful to know you loved it so much you’d do it again that means a lot to us!
We hope to welcome you back on board next season for another unforgettable day on the water.
Louise_D, Nov 2025
Had a wonderful boat trip from Sydney harbour in November. Very well organised and for all ages. Staff so helpful and informative. I knew the migration season was ending but was still hopeful of seeing some and this trip didn’t disappoint.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Louise,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your whale-watching cruise and found the trip well organised, informative, and great for all ages. Even toward the end of the season, it’s always special when the whales make an appearance. We’re so glad the experience didn’t disappoint.
We hope to welcome you back on board again next season!
Ben_P, Nov 2025
We had a great day out for lunch and whale watching , the weather was not the best but all crew were absolutely fantastic to make sure everyone was comfortable and nothing was a problem.
Devlin provided the commentary on the cruise and he was fantastic, my Wife said he had a lovely voice and could listen to him all day lol
All the crew went over and beyond to make the cruise special.
It was our 22nd wedding anniversary so it made it one to remember!
Looking forward to booking another day cruise
Big Thank You !!!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Ben, thank you for your lovely review and for choosing to celebrate your 22nd wedding anniversary with us! We’re thrilled to hear you had a memorable day out whale watching, even with the weather not quite on your side. Our crew will be delighted to know their hospitality and commentary made your experience special. We look forward to welcoming you back on board for another cruise soon.
Jennifer_C, Nov 2025
Was a great experience. Very clean vessel, great food, friendly staff, saw a number of whales and it was very informative. Being a 4 hour trip was ideal as we had much more time looking for whales as opposed to spending so much time getting out to where they are and back again. I've used different companies and found this experience to be the best by far. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Jennifer, thank you for your amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great whale-watching experience and enjoyed the food, friendly service, and extra time spent with the whales. It means a lot to know you found this cruise the best by far, we truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
Patrice_S, Nov 2025
From start to finish, the customer service was excellent. Clear instructions were provided before the event. The event hosts were very friendly and knowledgeable. The timing as great because the whales were very active. Thank you!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Patrice, thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great experience from the friendly and knowledgeable crew to the perfect timing for whale sightings. It’s always amazing when the whales are active and playful! We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back on board again soon.
Dolores_P, Nov 2025
Due to limited bookings, vendor used smaller ship. Still very nice. Staff friendly and professional. Food good, but could have done with more than 3 small bites of chicken. Unique experience. Would recommend.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Dolores, thank you for your lovely review! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the cruise and found the experience unique, with friendly and professional service from our crew. We appreciate your feedback about the meal portions and will share this with our catering team. Thank you for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
Rebecca_M, Nov 2025
Fascinating and fantastic to see whales up close, and Personal. Don’t forget to bring your seasick medicine, in fact, take it before you leave for the tour. Other than that lunch was amazing, not your cheese sandwich, and water type of lunch, really good food. All in all, I can’t say enough good things about the tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fantastic whale-watching experience and enjoyed seeing these magnificent creatures up close. We’re also so glad you loved the lunch our team takes pride in serving hearty, freshly prepared meals on board.
Great tip about the seasick tablets too it’s always helpful advice for fellow travellers. We really appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back aboard again soon for another unforgettable day on Sydney Harbour!
Tracey_B, Oct 2025
Well organised , clear and knowledgeable commentator. We had a wonderful 4.5 hours and had the pleasure of seeing 4 humpbacks including a young calf. Mother and calf spent ages within reasonable distance of the boat, one of the highlights of my life . Thank you 😊
Lunch was good too !
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Tracey, thank you for your amazing review! We’re so glad you had such a wonderful whale-watching experience seeing a mother and calf up close is truly unforgettable! We’re delighted you enjoyed the commentary, the smooth organisation, and the lunch on board. We really appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another memorable cruise soon!
CindyMary_R, Oct 2025
It will be cancelled due to inclement weather. Unfortunately we were not able to participate. Morning looked wonderful, but the wind was horrendous by noon.
Timothy_M, Oct 2025
You can’t guarantee that the whales will be very active. We did see some whales, tail slaps and fin slaps. They are amazing creatures. The boat was comfortable, the lunch was tasty and the crew were friendly. Would try Sydney Princess Cruise again - but earlier in the whale migration season.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Timothy, thank you for your great review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the whale-watching cruise, the tasty lunch, and the friendly service from our crew. You’re absolutely right, seeing these incredible creatures in their natural habitat is always special! We appreciate your feedback and would love to welcome you back.
Craig_M, Oct 2025
The waters outside of Sydney Harbour are known to be rough. At least 50% of the passengers were seasick. Unfortunately they did not follow the crew’s instructions and use the provided “barf” bags. Therefore the restrooms were a mess. Not the crew’s fault. The preliminary safety instructions were clear to those of us who are fluent in English. Perhaps the company could provide laminated written instructions for the non-English speakers. The Captain tried his best to locate and follow the whales we saw, but dang it, the whales were not cooperating with us!
Be prepared for wind and swells …
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Craig, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re glad to hear you appreciated the commentary, safety briefing, and the crew’s efforts to help everyone spot whales even when the ocean decided to be a little unpredictable! Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another whale-watching adventure!
Beth_L, Oct 2025
Excellent cruise! Lunch was good. Staff provided an excellent narration of whale/wildlife life and habitat. Showed great respect for whales by backing off when the ship got too close to cow and calf. They even extended the cruise to ensure we would see more sightings!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Beth, thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled you had such a memorable whale-watching experience and enjoyed the lunch and commentary on board. It’s wonderful to hear our crew’s respect for the whales and commitment to ensuring sightings made your day extra special. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable cruise!
Junecel_B, Oct 2025
The experience is horrible, everyone is vomiting, its wavy, worst 4 hours of our lives m, we wont come back
Tanesha_D, Oct 2025
Absolutely amazing!!! The breakfast was delicious! Service was excellent! The person doing the commentary was great and very informative! I saw SEVERAL whales and several dolphins! Such a beautiful experience!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Tanesha, thank you for your amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fantastic whale-watching experience. Whales and dolphins in one day is truly unforgettable! We’re so glad you enjoyed the breakfast, service, and live commentary. We’d love to welcome you back on board again soon for another beautiful day on the water!
Edward_S, Oct 2025
The crew did a great job explaining what the whales were doing and ensuing we all got to see them.
Going in mid Oct we saw to calves. The water was a little choppy, so take your motion sickness meds.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Edward, thank you for your great review! We’re glad you had a memorable whale-watching experience and were able to see the calves such a special sight! We appreciate your tip for future guests as well. We’d love to welcome you back on board again soon for another adventure on the water!
Michael_F, Oct 2025
Fantastic trip to see whales. We saw a lot of humpbacks. Very knowledgeable host who provided lots of good information. Very good breakfast as well
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Michael, thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled you had such a great whale-watching experience and were able to see so many humpbacks truly an unforgettable sight! We’re also glad you enjoyed the commentary and breakfast on board. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another day on the water!
Jennifer_S, Oct 2025
Lunch was really good and plentiful.
Whale watching was fabulous! David was very informative and helpful with locating the whales and helping us find/see them.
Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Jennifer, thank you for your wonderful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the lunch and had such a fantastic whale-watching experience. It’s great to hear the commentary and guidance on board helped make the day even more memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back again soon!
Kathy_S, Oct 2025
Absolutely one of the best tours we have ever been on, and we go on a lot of them. They gave us so much information on the whales and made it so interesting. Loved everything about it. Food was great!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Kathy, thank you for your amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear this was one of the best tours you’ve ever been on that means a lot, especially from an experienced traveller like yourself. It’s great to know you enjoyed the whale commentary, the experience on board, and the food as well. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back again soon!
David_J, Oct 2025
Luggage storage nearby was $8AU per bag, but convenient. Double decker boat didn’t feel crowded, and lunch was great. Commentary was pleasant and informative. We saw so many breaches that the boat lingered longer than usual. I’ve heard from others that the morning tour is a bit underwhelming and today was no exception according to the crew, so afternoon is a must!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi David, thank you for your fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the afternoon whale-watching cruise sounds like an incredible day with so many whale breaches! It’s great to hear you found the vessel comfortable, the commentary informative, and the lunch enjoyable. We really appreciate you sharing your experience and recommendation, and we’d love to welcome you back on board again soon!
Jenn_K, Oct 2025
The tour is very well-run.
Knowledgeable staff.
Great food.
We saw tons of whales.
Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the cruise from the great food and friendly team to the amazing whale sightings. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we’d love to welcome you back on board again soon!
Mark_S, Oct 2025
Highly recommend! The boat is larger and more comfortable than the other boats I saw giving tours. The guide did an excellent job pointing out the whales and relating information about them. I toured on 2 Oct 2025. I didn’t count, but estimate we had at least 25 good sightings. I was able to get several good pictures and videos. The tour information on the Viator app was completely accurate. Booking, payment, check in, directions to the meeting point, etc., all easy to do. In addition to great whale watching, the harbor tour was beautiful and informative.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your fantastic and detailed review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an incredible whale-watching experience with so many sightings what a memorable day on the water. It’s wonderful to know you found the boat comfortable, the commentary informative, and the whole process from booking to boarding smooth and easy.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
SABUALEYAS_M, Oct 2025
We were fortunate enough to spot a whale family, and it was certainly an incredible experience to watch them in the wild.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi there,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re so glad you had the chance to see a whale family during your cruise what a truly special moment. We’d love to welcome you back again for more unforgettable sightings on the harbour!
From $62.47
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Sydney Whale-Watching Cruise Including Lunch or Breakfast
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